I’m Scott Bloom. I’ve always been intrigued by the way heterosexual men relate to one another. On the surface, there seems to be a distance between them emotionally, but having spent time in AA meetings where these men are encouraged to open up, I know that there’s a closeness that only finds it’s way into the open in environments like sports or the military. I’ve written a film that explores one such relationship in a way that I think is heartwarming and compelling.

Having been a storyteller for years, I find inspiration in many places. Recently there have been articles discussing the phenomenon of “bromances” between straight identifying men and I’ve often wondered what, if any, emotional attachment there is in these relationships. I do know that men are certainly capable of caring for other men, but those expressions of “brotherly love” are often muted by the filters that society forces us to apply to those feelings. So I asked, what would happen if those feelings of love were to pop up quite unexpectedly between old friends?

Raceland is the story of Blake and Lloyd, two old friends from the bayou. As kids they were thick as thieves and had the kind of close friendship that songs are written about. After being separated for a number of years, they’ve rekindled their friendship anew, present day.

During a day of fishing, Lloyd is tragically injured and Blake steps up to nurse him back to health. It’s during their concentrated time alone together that they realize the love they had for each other back when they were kids, did not disappear… it’s just buried under years of social cues and macho veneer.

As men from rural America, they’re in unfamiliar territory and finding a way to reconcile the feelings they have for each other, as altruistic as they are, is a difficult and uncomfortable journey requiring patience and courage. It’s an opportunity to take an unvarnished look into the true heart of men.